Everything Happens For a Reason, but This Is Ridiculous
by Trashbags
Summary: Things at Heartland get a little crazy when a prize winning show horse is stolen from the barn. To add to the craziness, Caleb and Ashley have their own chaos and get Amy, Ty, and everyone at Heartland involved. Will the chaos end? Can life go back to normal? Plenty of Amy and Ty, Caleb and Ashley, and Mallory being Mallory.


**Everything Happens For a Reason, but This Is Ridiculous-**

**Summary: **Things are crazy at Heartland when a prize-winning show horse is stolen from the Heartland barn. To shake things up and add to the chaos, Caleb and Ashley have their own problems and get Amy and Ty and everyone else at Heartland involved. Will the chaos end? Can things go back to normal?

**Rating: T**

**Chapter 1: **_**Oh My God**_

Amy sat atop the round pen, watching the buckskin trot around, curiously checking out his new surroundings. According to his trainer, Reach for the Stars, was in a bad showjumping accident with his rider who was apparently still in the hospital. Amy sighed, watching the horse trot in circles. Somehow, she had to get both horse and rider back in shape for competition. As she hopped off the fence, Amy knew that she would be getting little sleep, having to put in so many hours with this horse and his rider. Striding to the center of the pen with strong confident steps, Amy slapped the coiled rope against her leg, sending the gelding cantering around the ring. Stars' movements were stiff, Amy noticed as he circled her over and over again. That would change the longer he stayed at Heartland.

The honking of a car horn caused Amy to lose her concentration. Frustrated that she wasn't getting anywhere with the new gelding, Amy dropped the rope onto the dusty ground. The nineteen year old turned to see Caleb's big old truck speeding to a stop, kicking up gravel as he did so. Once the vehicle's tire's crunched to a halt on the gravel, Caleb hopped from the driver's seat. Ashley emerged from the passenger side, and walked around the front of the truck. Balancing on the bottom rung of the round pen, Amy waved to her friends in greeting.

Caleb waved back. "Where's Ty?" he asked, sounding rather anxious. Ashley followed him.

Amy didn't reply to Caleb's question and just pointed towards the barn. As Caleb jogged into the barn in search of Ty and Ashley slowly walked over to the round pen, Amy accessed her friends' behavior and knew that something was up. For an animated couple, Caleb and Ashley were both uncharacteristically quiet. Ashley managed to plaster a small smile onto her face, but Amy could tell it was forced. Obviously something had happened between the two of them to make them both quiet. Whatever it was, Amy deduced that it couldn't be good. Looking back at the gelding circling the pen, Amy knew she wouldn't get any more work done with him today. Looking back at Ashley, Amy hopped from the bottom rung and slipped through the gate. Once the gate was secure, Amy walked up to her friend and with a smile, looped her arm through Ashley's. Slowly, Amy led her friend in a short walk around the property.

Even on the walk, Ashley was silent and the silence was bothering Amy. Though not typically a nosy person, Amy liked to have all the details. Stopping in her tracks, Amy let her arm fall to her side and turned to look at Ashley. She straightened her cowboy hat before speaking. "Something happened with you and Caleb, so what is it?"

Uncomfortably, Ashley looked down at her sparkly shoes. "Well," she drawled out the word much longer than she needed to so she could stall the inevitable. She tucked her long blonde hair back behind her ear. "The thing is…"

"Ashley's pregnant."

"What?!"

"Is it Caleb's?"

"That's great, Man!"

"I really don't see what the problem is, Ashley."

"I don't even know how it happened!"

"I'm barely 20, Amy!"

"Okay, I know how it happened, but-"

"I don't know anything about kids!"

"I'm only 23, bro!"

"I'm going to look like a whale!"

"I'm leaving on the circuit soon. What do I do?"

"Oh my God, I have to tell my mother!"

"Mrs. Stanton's gonna kill me!"

"The trailer is barely big enough for us-"

"What happens when she's as big as the trailer?!"

"What happens when he goes off on the damn rodeo circuit?"

"I really can't take her with me, can I?"

"And if my mother didn't like Caleb before-"

"I know everything happens for a reason, but this is ridiculous!"

"You can't tell anyone."

"Especially, Amy."

"At least not yet."

"You know how girls talk."

Mallory tightened the pony tail in her hair before slowly rising to her feet, hearing Ty's and Caleb's retreating footsteps from the barn. Peering over the door of Copper's stall, she watched the two walk outside with their arms slung casually around each other's shoulders. Turning around, she looked at her horse. "Oh my God."


End file.
